Search form

Prayer

No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying. The pulpit can be a shopwindow to display one's talents; the prayer closet allows no showing off. Poverty-stricken as the Church is today in many things, she is most stricken here, in the place of prayer. We have many organizers, but few agonizers; many players and payers, few pray-ers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors, few wrestlers; many fears, few tears; much fashion, little passion; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere.

The ministry of preaching is open to few; the ministry of prayer—the highest ministry of all human offices—is open to all. This world hits the trail for hell with a speed that makes our fastest plane look like a tortoise; yet alas, few of us can remember the last time we missed our bed for a night waiting upon God for a world-shaking revival. The secret of praying is praying in secret. A sinning man will stop praying, and a praying man will stop sinning. We are beggared and bankrupt, but not broken, nor even bent.

Prayer is profoundly simple and simply profound....In the matter of New Testament, Spirit-inspired, hell-shaking, world-breaking prayer, never has so much been left by so many to so few. For this kind of prayer there is no substitute. We do it—or die! —Excerpt from Leonard Ravenhill, Why Revival Tarries(quoted in TBC, September 2008)

Key Scripture verses related to "Prayer"

Old Testament:

1 Samuel:9:16To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.See All...

2 Samuel:22:7In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.See All...

2 Kings:20:5Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.See All...

2 Chronicles:30:27Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.See All...

Nehemiah:1:11O LORD, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.See All...

Psalm:5:3My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.See All...; Psa:18:6In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.See All...; Psa:34:6This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.See All...; Psa:66:20Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.See All...; Psa:69:13But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.See All...; Psa:102:1(A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD.) Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.See All...; Psa:102:17He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.See All...

Proverbs:15:8The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.See All...; Pro:15:29The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.See All...

Habakkuk:1:2O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!See All...

New Testament:

Matthew:21:13And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.See All...; Mat:21:22And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.See All...; Mat:23:14Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.See All...

Luke:6:12And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.See All...

Acts:1:14These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.See All...; Acts:12:5-11[5] Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
[6] And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
[7] And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
[8] And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
[9] And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.
[10] When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.
[11] And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the LORD hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.
See All...

Ephesians:6:18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;See All...

Philippians:1:4Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,See All...; Phil:4:6-7[6] Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
[7] And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
See All...

James:5:14-16[14] Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
[15] And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
[16] Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
See All...; Jam:5:17-18[17] Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
[18] And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
See All...

1 Peter:4:7But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.See All...

The Berean Call is available by postal mail each month for free. We are willing to send the newsletter to you by regular mail but encourage you to read it online to save printing and mailing costs. Send us a message to add or change your paper mail address.

The Berean Call is also available in a large-print edition at a nominal cost.

If you are outside the U.S. The Berean Call is available by paid subscription .